The Selma Times-Journal

U of SOUTH ALABAMA &045; The southwest regional championship game Friday night could have easily passed for the boys 2A state championship game.

The game matched the No.1 ranked Altamont Hogh School Knights and the No. 2 ranked R. C. Hatch High School Bobcats.

It was also touted as being a high scoring contest, but that didn’t happen.

At the end, it was the Bobcats who came out on top to take the southwest regional championship 48 – 36.

“We beat a good team tonight,” said Bobcat coach Homer Davis. &8220;Our guys really pulled together.

Calvin Pope scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in the fourth quarter to help Hatch pull away from what proved to be a close game for three quarters.

“It was like a championship game,&8221; stated Pope after the game.

“I just wanted to do my part.”

Altamont led

9-8 after the first quarter of play.

Lorenzo Jones opened the second quarter with a jumper to give Hatch a 10 – 9 lead which they never relinquished the rest of the game.

The Bobcats lead 21-16 at the half, holding the Knights to seven points in the second quarter.

Neither team shot well at all.

The Bobcats two top scorers, Frankie Sullivan and Phillip Johnson, combined for just 8-of-26 shooting for the night.

But the Hatch defense held Altamont, whose offense is more of a perimeter game, to 24 percent shooting for the game, including just 3-of-22 from behind the arc.

And also held them to seven points in th final quarter.

The Bobcats had a huge advantage on the boards, by out rebounding the Knights 51- 31.

Pope, who was selected to the all-tournament team, led all scorers with 15 points for Hatch.

He also pulled down a game high 14 rebounds. Willie Coleman grabbed 10 rebounds. Sullivan, voted tournament MVP, scored nine points and had four assists.

The Bobcats are seeking their eighth state championship, their third in four years, next game will take place at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in a semi final match up with Priceville Tuesday at 5:30 pm.